Before you read any more, know this: Everything is fine on Roatan. Please keep coming to our island! “They arrested the President.” I stop, nearly slipping on the wet tiles of the dive shop, and lower the scuba cylinders hoisted in each hand. My skin still glistens with sea salt and sweat, my mind lost in its mental menagerie of groupers, snappers, barracudas, and jacks encountered on the previous dive. The cacophony of banging tanks and bustling interns fades into the background. “Army moved in this morning. Two-hundred guys surrounded his house and arrested him. Dragged him out in his pajamas.” The Boss points to the computer monitor. I quickly scan the displayed website. My gut twists. Fifteen minutes earlier, » read more «

In case you haven’t heard, a massive 7.1 earthquake rattled Honduras Thursday morning, destroying properties across the mainland and causing at least six fatalities. The epicenter of the quake was directly beneath my beloved island of Roatan. You can read more about the massive quake here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090528/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_honduras_earthquake I would love to breathlessly recount the terror of being awoken at 2:30 in the morning by the cacophony of howling dogs and buckling earth, but unfortunately for my readers (but fortunately for me) I am in the States at this time attending my little sister’s wedding. I have no stories to share. Thankfully, word is that no one in West End was seriously hurt and properties damages were minimal. Business and life » read more «

The sweat runs down my brow in small torrents, cascading over my recently-shaved head and obscuring my vision with the tingle of salt that no rapid eye-blinking can remedy. I am poised: arms flexed, balance sturdy, legs braced, steady breathing. My opponent, despite being both fourteen inches and years my inferior, is equally prepared. The bell rings. My arms pump in rapid yet rhythmic alternation, delivering haymakers and uppercuts to the facial region of my foe. He ducks, weaves, and wallops a low kidney-shot to my torso, simultaneously crumbling my defenses and body with a single emphatic blow. I twitch on the ground in agony. Despite the fervent shaking of my arms, I remain unconscious on the floor. The time » read more «

West End Divers held a smash hit with their West End Scavenger Hunt for SOL International Foundation this evening. The event pitted dive shop against dive shop in a race to acquire photographs of random objects and events ranging from ordinary household to “OMG I can’t believe you have (or did) that!” From expired passports to mullets to three legged turtles and men with shaved legs, it was an all-out race around West End for the teams of four. The most elusive and point-heavy of the scavenger hunt items— a photograph of irritable beach rakemaster Dorado autographing a rank— was miraculously managed by both Team Ramrod (Coconut Tree Divers) and Team Scandilicious. Videos of this unprecedented event are forthcoming. The » read more «